


The Gift of Science

by Ononymous



Series: Christmas 2018 Stories and Requests [3]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Christmas, Gen, Pre-Undertale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 15:53:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17185949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ononymous/pseuds/Ononymous
Summary: Young Alphys was so excited when she heard Santa would be meeting kids to hear what they wanted. And Santa was excited to hear what kids want. The meeting was a little different than both anticipated.





	The Gift of Science

**Author's Note:**

> Original request: Kid Alphys getting to sit on Santa's (Asgore's) lap and accidentally overshares a some stuff that gets Santa (Asgore) worried

There were two items of interest to Alphys in the most recent monthly announcements from the castle. The slightly interesting one was that King Asgore would be taking a day off, and Royal Guard Captain Argie would be handling all questions and queries that day. The all-consuming focus of her world was that on the same day, Santa Claus would be meeting children and taking their requests for Gyftmas.

Even though she'd set out early from Waterfall, wearing two extra jumpers to deal with the temperatures of Snowdin, she still found a long line reaching out of the librarby and past the vacant house on the outskirts of town. Bratty and Catty, despite being asleep when Alphys set out, were several places ahead of her. The journey itself, let alone the required standing in one spot for who knew how long, would normally have had her feet in open revolt, but the excitement of getting to talk to Santa crushed the mutiny. She stood silent and alone, writing and scribbling in a notebook about this and that, oblivious to the nonstop stream of "like"s several places ahead of her. What she couldn't ignore was the conversation between Santa and the girl directly in front of her.

"A new punching bag, you say?" she heard Santa try to confirm. "Um, perhaps you're a little young to take up boxing?"

"It's not about boxing, Santa. I gotta learn how to punch with something, don't I? The guard keeps coming round with complaints that I keep breaking stuff, I just wanna be able to give it my all. Take that, human scum! And that! _Ngah!_ "

"I'll... I'll see what I can do, child. Now make sure you behave yourself, and have a Happy Gyftmas!"

"Thanks, Santa, you're the best!"

Alphys watched some flaming red hair march from the designated exit before being lightly tapped on the shoulder, looking up at a deer with heavyl streaks of grey in his hair and a nose that was defiantly small, black, and not glowing.

"Your turn, miss," he said jovially. "Just in time too, he's meant to go to lunch shortly. Now, you know not to ask about breaking the barrier, right?"

"Y-yes, sir."

"That's right, 'cuz the King's doing that. You just worry about what kinda toy you'd like. But remember, it's not just about the presents."

"I know..."

"It's about really good food too! Har har har!"

Alphys smiled at Santa's Lanky Helper, and then walked slowly through some red and green curtains into the makeshift grotto. There he was, sitting on a simple wooden chair, but his simple kind of majesty gave unto it the feeling of a throne. His bare toes wiggled a little to stretch as an open and sincere smile emerged from his golden beard, and Alphys knew he was genuinely happy to see her, like he had been for the scores of children he must have already parleyed with.

"Ho Ho Ho!" Each "Ho" glittered like a diamond. "How lovely to see you, little girl! Now, what's your name?"

"...Alphys."

"Alphys, that's a lovely name."

"Uh, thanks. And h-hello."

"Yes, hello to you too." Santa continued to beam at her. "...um, would you like to come and sit on my lap?"

"Oh! Sure. S-sorry, I just, um..."

"You can stand if you aren't comfortable with it."

"No no, I'm fine." She sidled up to the red trousers with the movements of one trying to sweep for mines. Eventually she was in range for those mighty hands to pick her up and place her gently on his knee, one hand staying behind to pat her back softly.

"So, young Alphys, have you been a good little girl this year?"

"Sure! I mean, I've tried to be..."

Santa chortled merrily on high. "Well, that's definitely important, Alphys. We must always try to do what's right. Anyway, what would you like for Gyftmas?"

"N-nothing!"

Santa's smile stayed where it was, while something shifted in his eyes. "Nothing? Golly Alphys, if that's what you really want it is alright, but it's a little odd to stand in line and ask Santa for that."

"Sorry, sorry! That's force of habit. I d-do want some things, really! I wouldn't waste your time like that."

A golden eyebrow raised in curiosity, but a child's mis-speech wasn't the rarest thing to happen on his lap. "Alright then, little one. What would you like me to get you?"

"Well," she said. And then remained silent for fifteen seconds. "I'd like, um, a doll..."

"Ooh, that's a nice choice."

"And, uh, a h-hairbrush..."

"Hmm? But you don't have any hair."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, that's right, I don't, it's f-for the doll, obviously!"

"Ah, okay. Anything else?"

"Y-yeah, I'd like a new mirror. And a makeup set. And a slumber party s-survival kit!"

Santa continued to smile as broadly as ever, but as she made her requests, it was obvious he was deeply in thought about something.

"What's wrong, Mister Claus? D-did I ask for something you can't g-get? I'm sorry..."

"Oh no no no, it's nothing like that. It's just... That cat and alligator that were a few places ahead of you. Do you, um, know them at all?"

"Bratty and Catty? S-sure! We hang out in Waterfall all the time, and I help them figure out what some of the human garbage is."

"How thoughtful! Well, the funny thing is, both of them asked for exactly the same things you're asking for now."

"Oh, r-really? I didn't know that."

His eyes narrowed slightly. "Are you sure?"

She folded. "Okay yeah, they talked about what they were g-going to ask you for yesterday."

"Hmm. Now Alphys, I can get you those things. If they're what you really want, it's no trouble at all. But I've seen this before. Children asking for things not because they truly want them, but because their friends are getting them, and then they're not as happy when they get it. Are you absolutely sure you want those things?"

A rare impulse of defiance flared in her chest. "Well Bratty and Catty are asking f-for identical things, did you ask them if they're sure?"

"Well, no. But that's because they came in together, and it was obvious they sung from the same sheet. If they're your friends and you want the same things, why didn't you see me with them?"

"They are m-my friends," she protested, "I'm not lying!"

"No, you aren't," he agreed, "but I don't think you really want a hairbrush."

Alphys' stumpy tail tried to wrap protectively around her. "I j-just... we hang out at the garbage and I can tell between a CD and a DVD just by looking, and th-they tell me that's so c-cool... but then th-they're always hanging out together when we're n-not at the garbage and I'm n-not part of that and..." Her inner fears became outer, her mental guard crumbling. "Is it just because I'm useful? That if I forgot how to fix a pocket watch tomorrow they'd stop hanging out with me? I w-wanna... I don't wanna stand out, or cause a fuss, or be thought of as a weirdo... Maybe I'd be b-better off with nothing, it's about what I'm worth-"

"Nothing?!"

The shock in his voice amplified her own, and she seized her snout with both hands and clutched it tight. A third hand gently guided that snout in the direction of Santa's face, full of worry, but also the kindly smile still remaining.

"That won't do, little one. Now, friends don't always share the same interests, and they do not have to do everything together. It sounds like all three of you are interested in exploring what humans leave behind, even if you might be better at it than they are. What I reckon would happen is if you stopped doing that to try and fit in, they'd probably lose interest in you for real. Friends you attract with your real self last much longer than when you put on an act.

"Yeah," said the deer, poking his head through the curtain, "like I wouldn't hang out with Santa if he wasn't such a massive dork!"

Santa laughed. "Well said, Rudy. And as for what you're worth..." he shook his head. "That is absolutely not true. You are probably worth more than me."

"Rooly?" She'd forgotten to remove her hands. She did so while flushing slighly more orange.

"Oh yes, I think so. Now young Alphys, I want you to ask for something you truly want, not what you think others think you should want. If you like, you can give it some thought, and I'll let you skip the line after lunch and you can try again."

Alphys made a very large display of cleaning her glasses to try and hide her face. But when she was finished, she was smiling. "Can I ask n-now?"

All worry was gone. "Certainly!"

"Okay. Um. I l-like to read. H-human comics. And I think some of them are history books?"

"Hmm, I think I have some of those, I'll double check. Anything else?"

"Uh, do you think there's such a thing as ramen-flavoured candy? I'd love to try some."

"'Ramen'..." the unfamiliar word rolled around in his head. "I think a restaurant in New Home does that? I'll ask if they can do that."

"And I'd really like a full screwdriver and wrench set!"

Santa's smile was gone again, but for different reasons. "Well that's easy to get, but... it's rather unusual. May I ask why?"

The confidence afforded from swimming through her comfort zone bolstered her even for this question. "W-well, I like to draw diagrams of the stuff I take apart and fix, so I can help remember how it works..."

"Heh, girl after my heart," said Rudy.

"And then I go over the drawings, and get some ideas. Like this one!" She took out a sheet of paper from her notebook and planted it in Santa's hand, who studied some sort of double-cylindrical device covered in meticulous labels, mathematical equations and chemical formulations. "There was a human chemical sprayer, and an old turbine engine, and I thought if I could modify the tank to take fuel and make a smaller version of the engine, it would be like a way for monsters to fly."

"Can't we fly already?" asked Rudy.

"Not all of us."

Santa remained silent, studying the design while failing to make sense of it. Rudy caught the look on his face, and knew he was once again about to go beyond. His own back hadn't recovered from the last time.

"Well, those sound like fine things to ask for. Alphys, um, may I borrow this page?"

"Huh? Do you like it?"

"It's very... interesting," he said, as honestly as possible. "And I have an idea."

"Um, okay, you can t-take it."

"Thank you. If it doesn't work out I'll return it along with your presents, but what I intend shouldn't be scary."

* * *

This was scary.

Alphys sat in the principal's office, Principal Eyewalker disinterestedly reviewing some papers, while a tall thin figure dressed entirely in black surveyed her with empty sockets behind wire-thin spectacles.

"You are Alphys, correct?" His voice was as mechanical as his posture.

"Y-y-y-y-y-yes."

"And you drew this?" He presented the design she'd given Santa.

"Um, y-y-y-y-y-yeah."

"Hmm." The sockets returned to the page. For the briefest moment Alphys felt like he had forgotten her. "This shows potential."

"It does?!"

"Yes. I was alerted to this by his maj-" he caught himself, then sighed wearily. "'His Jolliness'. Santa thought you could have great talent. Alphys, my name is Doctor Gaster."

"Th-the Royal Scientist?!"

"Yes, the same. Santa thought your skills may one day be of use to my own work."

"He d-did?!"

"He did. He was wrong, however."

"H-he was? Oh..."

"You misunderstand. You have talent. It is just not talent I can avail of directly in my own projects. But it is still worth cultivating. The Underground could always use a creative engineer in other areas. Not every position needs a deep understanding of multiversal pneumothaumology. Even if you do not end up working for me or the King directly, I would like to offer you additional lessons to help hone your skills."

His voice had no emotion, but Alphys understood the sincerity in his appraisal. And Santa had arranged this, somehow. As if he'd been determined to show she had worth. She accepted on the spot, knowing that she would always associate this moment with Santa and Gyftmas, always grateful for this opportunity.

Indeed, every Christmas now, she scratches the back of her head. She doesn't notice herself doing it.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!


End file.
